With 26 years of NFL experience, Stephen Jones has established himself as one of the brightest and most versatile executives in professional sports. Recognized as Owner Jerry Jones’ right-hand man, Stephen is the Cowboys Chief Operating Officer/Executive Vice President, as well as Player Personnel Director and President of AT&T Stadium.
Following the Cowboys 12-4 regular season finish and 2014 NFC Eastern Division title, Stephen and Jerry Jones were named the co-recipients of the NFL Executive of the Year Award as presented by Sports Illustrated‘s Monday Morning Quarterback. Over the course of the last 13 years, Dallas draft classes have produced 31 players who have gone on to start for the Cowboys while 14 of those choices became All-Rookie Team selections. Those same drafts also produced 16 Pro Bowl players who collectively combined for 46 all-star game appearances.
Jones has enjoyed a life-long association with the game of football. A four-year letterman as a linebacker and special teams standout at the University of Arkansas, Jones was a starter for the Razorbacks in the Orange Bowl Classic Game that followed the 1986 season. Prior to attending the University of Arkansas, Jones was an all-state quarterback and a three-year starter at Catholic High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Wallace Jones was a collegiate and professional basketball player. He was a three-time All-American and four-time All-SEC. Jones led the University of Kentucky basketball team to two NCAA Championships and was a member of the 1948 Gold medal-winning basketball team.
Adam Thomas Keefe is a retired American basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association and for Woodbridge High School in his hometown of Irvine where he set many of the school’s basketball records.
Keefe attended Stanford University, where he earned a degree in political science while a member of both the basketball and volleyball teams. He finished as the Pac-10’s fifth all-time scorer and fourth all-time rebounder. He led the conference in rebounding for three seasons, was a Second-Team All-American for two seasons, and as a senior averaged 25.3 points and 12.2 rebounds per game.
In the 1992 NBA draft, the Atlanta Hawks selected Keefe with the 10th overall pick. He would eventually spend 9 years in the NBA, mainly with the Utah Jazz. Keefe’s NBA career eventually ended as a member of the Golden State Warriors.
Rex Kern was recruited by legendary football coach Woody Hayes to play for Ohio State Buckeyes. In his four seasons playing for the Buckeyes his team compiled a record of 27-2. During this time the team was led by a quality sophomore class, known as the Super Sophomores, which Kern is commonly referred to as the leader.
In 1968, Kern led the Buckeyes to a national championship following an undefeated season and a 27-16 victory over the University of Southern California Trojans, led by Heisman trophy winner O.J. Simpson. Kern led the Buckeyes back to the national title game in 1970, however this time in a losing effort.
In 1971, Kern was drafted by the Baltimore Colts. He played three NFL seasons in Baltimore as a cornerback before being traded to the Buffalo Bills. After one season with Buffalo he retired. Brother Kern has his PhD from Ohio State University in education.
Max Kidd III is a third generation collegiate athlete. He also enjoyed a lengthy NFL career with the Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions and New York Jets. In the 1984 NFL Draft, he became the highest drafted punter in Bills history. He is still the record holder for single season and career punting averages for his alma mater, Northwestern University. His son became a fourth generation Big 10 athlete when he became the starting punter for the University of Iowa.
Kurt Knoff played collegiate football at the University of Kansas. In 1974, he made one of the most historic plays in college football history known simply as “The Hit.”
Knoff continued on to the NFL where he was a second round draft pick by the Denver Broncos. He never played for Denver, however, as he was traded to the Houston Oilers where he played from 1977-1978. He finished his career in 1982 after a four-year stint with the Vikings. He finished with 11 career interceptions.
Ken Kravec played professional baseball from 1975 until 1982. From 1977 till 1979, he would be the Chicago White Sox’s team leader in strikeouts. In 1979, Kravec led the team in wins. He would finish his playing career in 1982 with the Chicago Cubs, but would continue to work as a scout for several MLB teams after his retirement.
Peter D. Kugler was an American football defensive lineman who played ten seasons in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars of the USFL. Kugler played college football for Penn State University.
Phi Delta Theta Sports Hall of Fame Nominee
Brother Pete Lammons is a graduate from the University of Texas – Austin where he was a starting Tight End. After bringing UT-Austin their first National Championship in 1963, Brother Lammons was drafted by the New York Jets in 1965 to play Tight End behind the arm of Joe Namath. In 1968 he and the Jets defeated the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League Championship game for a bid to Super Bowl III against the NFL Champion, the Baltimore Colts. That year was the first year an AFL affiliate defeated an NFL team in the Super Bowl which in turn started the discussion of merging the two leagues. Along with a World Championship Brother Lammons ended his seven year professional career with three Division titles before retiring in 1972.
Charles Watt “Chuck” Lamson was a professional American football player who played defensive back for the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams.
